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(KSL News) -- Police and firefighters this afternoon investigated a suspicious envelope found at the federal courthouse in Salt Lake City.
The incident was first dispatched to emergency crews this afternoon around 3:00 when a suspicious package which they believed may contain hazardous material was found.
Hazmat crews surrounded a portable trailer located just behind the courthouse. We're told that trailer serves as a portable screening room for all packages and envelopes. The suspect package never got inside the courthouse.
Scott Frietag, spokesman for the fire department, says something was found in an envelope during the mail screening process. Crews opened the envelope and found a plastic bag with white powder. The powder was contained inside the bag so crews decided not to open the package.
The package has been sent to state health deptartment lab for testing, but an initial check didn't show anything dangerous.
Scott Frietag, Fire Dept.: "We're fairly confident that this was a benign incident. No threat was made to anybody. No product was released anywhere."
Also, a few hours later, an employee in the courthouse found what they thought was powder on a desk. That substance was not associated at all with initial package. Crews don't believe that powder is harmful, but are sanitizing the desk and testing the powder just to be sure.
